IOC Evaluation Commission to kick off visits to Los Angeles and Paris

The IOC Evaluation Commission Olympic Games 2024 travels to Los Angeles and Paris this week for its official visits to the two Candidate Cities. The working visits are the culmination of a new three-stage evaluation process that resulted from Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement.

The 2024 Candidate Cities were the first to receive the full benefits of Olympic Agenda 2020, which included other reforms that brought a more collaborative approach to the process, as well as increased transparency and a stronger emphasis on sustainability and legacy. The Cities also have more flexibility to design Games that meet local needs.

The Evaluation Commission will spend three days in both cities —10-12 May in Los Angeles, followed by 14-16 May in Paris — with the same format for both visits. The agenda starts with detailed discussions on the City’s proposals on the first day, followed by venue visits on the second day and concluding with wrap-up discussions on the final day.

“We have two excellent candidates,” Commission Chair Patrick Baumann said. “I and the other members of the Evaluation Commission are looking forward to learning more about their proposals and getting a first-hand look at the prospective venues. We will discuss not only how hosting the Games would meet the needs of athletes, but also how it would serve the cities’ long-term goals for social and economic development.”

The IOC’s collaboration with the Candidate Cities began two years ago in the new Invitation Phase, another outcome of Olympic Agenda 2020 that gives cities considering a bid an opportunity to learn about the process and ways to maximise the benefits of a candidature and hosting the Games.

The evaluation process began in September 2015 with a focus on the Cities’ vision for how the Games could advance local priorities, as well as the Games concept and strategy. Stage 2 focused on governance, legal issues and venue funding; Stage 3 on Games delivery, Games experience and legacy.

Splitting the process into three stages provided opportunities for the Cities to receive support and feedback from the IOC that further assisted them to increase the value proposition of their proposals.

“We want to see how the Olympic Games will take shape in 2024, we are not conducting an examination,” Baumann said. The Commission will meet in Lausanne following the visits to discuss the results of the evaluation process. The Commission’s report will be made public on 5 July and posted on the IOC’s website, at the same time as it is sent to the IOC Members.

Both Cities will have an opportunity to present their proposals directly to IOC Members, and offer any response to the Evaluation Commission report, at the 2024 Candidate City Briefing for IOC Members and International Federations in Lausanne on 11 and 12 July, before the host city election on 13 September at the IOC Session in Lima.